Lok Biradari Prakalp, At: Hemalkasa (A Project of Maharogi Sewa Samiti, Warora) Post & Taluka: Bhamragad, District: Gadchiroli, Pin code: 442 710. Maharashtra, India Website: www.lokbiradariprakalp.org & Email: [email protected] The Background : Baba Amte’s visit to the dense forests of Bhamragad in the Gadchiroli district of Maharastra in early seventies gave a decisive turn to the life of the tribals known as Madia- Gonds. The project demanded invincible will and determination. It was in 1974 that Dr. Prakash Amte Baba’s younger son who was busy pursuing his post-graduation in surgery then decided to undertake the responsibility. Dr. Mandakini his wife joined him in few months. For the tribals the forest was the end of the world. No going out and little to eat fit for a civilized man. Agriculture in the modern sense of the term was unknown. Struggling to keep their body and soul together, the tribals died of one thing or another. Death sought them faithfully and in many forms – starvation, disease, under nutrition, superstition and it was behind the bush too. A life and death kind of struggle with the wild went on for years before the inception of the project. They famished and died much before their time. Those who survived by chance looked much older than they were. ‘An woman of twenty five’ or ‘an old man of thirty’ couldn’t have been contradictions in terms. The parents were never in a hurry to name their new-born-so sure they were of its death. Education – not even an otherworldly thing because they knew no world beyond the forest. When the Lok Biradari Prakalp was set up, a school formed no part of its plans. But Dr Prakash and the others realised soon after they began work that if the exploitation of the tribals by forest guards and other outsiders was to stop the tribals needed to be educated and taught to fight for their rights. Even then it was realised that it wasn’t enough merely to teach them to read and write. They had to be taught better methods of agriculture, better health care and hygiene and so on. Report: Lok Biradari Ashram School was started in 1975 with merely 15 students, for the first 11 years it was not recognized by the government and was completely non-granted. However in the year 1986 it was given the status of granted ashram school. The grant covers teacher salaries and student expenses of 40 students per class. This year we have admitted 673 students for the academic year 2011-12. We receive a government grant for 480 students which is around 200 non-granted pupils. Asha-Zurich came to our assistance and has borne the grant for 100 students for which we are very grateful. Sending herewith is the report for the first semester which started on 26th June and ended on 15th October. Facilities provided: 3 meals- special attention is given to the dietary nutrition received. Milk - 1 glass full. Uniforms – 2 sets for each student. Bedding - complete set including warm blankets for winter. Stationary- Complete Study material, Pen, pencil, colours, lots of paper and craft material especially for the lower grades. Sports – all athletic games, badminton, volley-ball, cricket and a modest gymnasium. The students attended district level sports tournaments held at Gadchiroli in the month of October 2011. Nearly 50 students participated in the athletic events. More than 30 students were selected for the division level tournaments. Special attention is given on teaching techniques and methodology. We have appointed extra teachers for this purpose so that individual attention can be given to the students. The extra teachers salary is made by the institution and are not paid by the government. 15th August 2011 (Celebration - Indian Independence Day) Evening Exercise Vruksha Dindi (9th August 2011) (Forest conservation - awareness program) Vruksha Dindi Program (Forest conservation - awareness program) (Forest conservation - awareness program) .